Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps publicly addressed the photo scandal after issuing an apology Sunday about his smoking from a marijuana pipe, media reported Thurdsay.

The 23-year-old Olympic star said he had learned from the mistakes he had made and would have to live with and grow from them after a photo in a British tabloid exposed that he was inhaling from a marijuana pipe.

"It's obviously something I'm not proud of at all," Phelps said.

He called swimming the thing he loves and cares most.

"To be able to get back in the water and get back to a normal schedule is what I am happy about most," Phelps was quoted as saying.

On Wednesday in Switzerland, the swimming's governing body FINA praised Phelps for his public apology.

"As a citizen, Michael Phelps displayed inappropriate behavior," FINA said in a statement. "But his sincere regret and the promise that such a situation will not happen again are sufficient guarantees that this great star will continue generating respect and appreciation to all fans of our sport around the globe."

But the CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee said Wednesday he'd like to have a face-to-face meeting with Phelps.

(Agencies via Xinhua News Agency Feburary 5, 2009)